Racing

[Carl]

Hmm yes, Chris's reference cars include the S**ity Rover :/

Fair point, I'd forgotten about that

I've never driven a 1.7 only the 1.4 and 2.0s. Both are ok when you get going (obviously the 2.0 more so), but I wouldn't say either one was nippy!

[MJ]

Well the only cars I've driven for long enough to get a feel of them are the 1.7 340, dad's 850 and the Renalult Megane turbo diesel my driving instructor used to have (don't the engine size), so not much in the way of high performance.

The Megan mas horrid, and although it pulled fairly well when the turbo kicked in, which only happened a couple of times, it seemed fairly slow the rest of the time.

I rememeber once I was overtaking a cyclist up a slight incline, and not being used to turbo cars, didn't get it wound up. I could see far enough ahead for it too be safe, but there wasn't a huge amount of road before the corner. I pulled out and tried to accelerate fairly hard and it felt like nothing happened for ages, before finally the turbo kicked in and it moved.

Gave me a fair fright being beside a cyclist and not able to pull ahead. If I'd gone down a gear it would have been fine, but I'm sure the 340 would have sailed past happily in a refined manner without the worry

[Carl]

Turbo diesel's are great (well any turbo really) as long as you're in the powerband where the turbo's spooled up. For example on the motorway our Nova TD (weeny 1.5) could probably out accelerate the GLT. From a standing start the GLT would have the edge (I think).

Although a petrol engine may not have the instant punch of a TD it will have a wider powerband which can make up for this. Given like for like (eg 2 similarly powered petrol /turbo diesel cars) it will be easier to overtake in the diesel because of this, you've just gotta have the revs in the right place. Moderns TDs are much better for this and generally have shedloads of torque available from about 1500rpm - the old mechanical diesels tend to be a bit 'revvier' IME.

Anyway, I could keep talking about this for a long time (I love diesels!!) but I'm getting further and further OT

[foggyjames]

For a much bigger car with similar power, a 340 1.4 is surprisingly brisk... the engine is 'eager', and the gearing is good. It's never going to be anything other than 'slow', though.

Having said that, drive it hard, and you can keep up with fairly fast moving traffic. Particularly with the traction advantage, you can cause some upset at the lights. Ryan took out an e46 M3 at the lights the other week - if he pulls up on the right, he's fair game

1.0 or 1.2 superminis I randomly meet on-road, I assume I can out-accelerate. A Corsa (A) GSI (1.6 16v?) pulled away from me quite cleanly, but it was hardly a crushing defeat. The SRI (1.4 16v?) would have been much closer, I suspect, and I can't see that a 1.2 would win by very much, if at all. If it were a race situation, of course, you lose the element of surprise, which - as Ryan showed - can be good for +260hp

cheers

James

[jtbo]

Lost clearly to bus from lights (I had no chance), then to lorry from 60kph

Well, I don't race, but I accelerated as fast as I could, car is bit slow, but when you are in upper class, you can leave those tiny 4 bangers to buzz their own

Saying the truth, I'm not too happy to be slower than bus really, being as slow as bus would not be an issue

[petefarrell360]

MJ mate, just picked up on the flooring it in 5th bit. The 5th gear of a 300 is basically the overdrive cruising speed gear, to drop the revs as much as possible to aid fuel economy etc. So flooring it unless your in the powerband won't really gain anything, it needs to be a drop down a gear to get it going and I think it's explained pretty well in the manual from memory about 4th being the overtaking gear etc. A more powerful car can get away with it and will still pull well in higher gears.

Pete

[foggyjames]

Saying the truth, I'm not too happy to be slower than bus really

SteveP seems to cope alright. Though thinking about it, perhaps that's why he likes Prog Rock so much....to numb the pain?

cheers

James

[SteveP]

Savage

[foggyjames]

I do what I can

cheers

James

[jtbo]

Saying the truth, I'm not too happy to be slower than bus really

SteveP seems to cope alright. Though thinking about it, perhaps that's why he likes Prog Rock so much....to numb the pain?

cheers

James

After oil change car feels lot faster, or then I'm just getting used to it and soon I can't handle incredible amount of power 360 has causing my 360 to be wrapped around a tree at next time I drive it